ScionxB2012Overview/scion/xb/2012/base/

2012 Scion xB

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2012 xB.

Transmission Automatic (S4)

The 2012 Scion xB is a boxy, compact wagon that carried the second-generation platform introduced in 2008, pairing a 4.5-quart oil capacity (5W-20 or 0W-20) with a 4-speed automatic transmission to achieve EPA fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined, and while this model year recorded 45 owner complaints—its top issue being air bags, with four total recalls—its complaint history spanning 2002 to 2015 shows a notable downward trend from a peak of 339 complaints in 2008 to just one in 2003, suggesting that by 2012 the model had largely moved past its most problematic period.

Model year201520142013201220112010200920082006

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 0W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque76 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/27/24 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 575 CCA battery, OE oil filter 90915YZZF1. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 575 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnTOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-55R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter90915YZZF1
Engine air filter17801YZZ06
Fuel filter7770612011
Spark plug9008091184 alt 9008091180
Battery2880054020
Front wiper blades8521212470 alt 8522212870
Serpentine belt90916A2011 alt 9091602652
Thermostat9091603136 alt 163250T030
Cabin air filter8713902090 alt 8713950100

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S4)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length167.3 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height62.6 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Curb weight3027 lb
Track (front / rear)60.2 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 27 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume101 cu ft
Cargo volume22 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the xB of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.2–11.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.20 sec — 2008 Wagon
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2009Wagon 2.4L I-48.50 sec16.40 sec158 hpFWD
2008Wagon 2.4L I-47.20 sec15.60 sec158 hpFWD
2008Wagon 2.4L I-47.80 sec16.00 sec158 hpFWD
2008Wagon 2.4L I-48.50 sec16.40 sec158 hpFWD
2008Wagon 2.4L I-48.70 sec16.60 sec158 hpFWD
2008Wagon 2.4L I-49.40 sec17.30 sec158 hpFWD
2006Wagon 1.5L I-49.60 sec17.30 sec103 hpFWD
2004Wagon 1.5L I-410.10 sec17.13 sec108 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-20 / 0W-20 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 76 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity3.7
Engine Oil5W-20 · 0W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts72 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts22 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts27 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs14 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts76 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Timing8-12, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity.73-.86 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.51 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance575 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test17 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature176-183 °F
Engine Compression145-189 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure36-78 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM3000 rpm
Intake Valve Lash0.007-0.011 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.015-0.019 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket25 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle79 ft-lbs / 42 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.039; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.984 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.984 in / 0.394 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.866 in / 0.335 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9018 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9015 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs at 120,000 mi; coolant every 50,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 50,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miBrake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Floor Mat (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect all fluid levels)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning Condenser (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 100,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2012 Scion xB sits near the bottom of a steady downward trend in owner complaints and recalls that began after the 2008 spike. From 2008 through 2012, complaints fell from 339 to 45, recalls dropped from 9 to 4, and 2012 marks the lowest complaint and recall volume in that five-year window, even as TSBs held at 145. The leading 2012 complaint area is air bags with 26 reports, followed by engine with 4, while crash and fire complaints totaled 5 and 3 respectively; the federal data does not specify root causes. Compared with 2008-2010, 2012 shows materially lower complaints and fewer recalls, indicating the later model years in this record had settled down. For a used-car buyer, the 2012 xB is one of the stronger years in this federal record, but verify outstanding recalls and air-bag service history before purchase.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
145
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
45
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 45 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags26
Engine4
Structure,Service Brakes,Engine3
Unknown Or Other2
Structure2
Structure,Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Wheels1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18E091000Service Brakes, HydraulicReported 20/09/2018

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain Toyota Racing Development (TRD) brake kits, part numbers PTR09-21111 and PTR09-52080, sold by Toyota as an optional accessory for model year… Remedy: Toyota will notify all known owners of the Scion xB and Scion tC vehicles upon which an involved optional TRD Brake Kit could have been installed. If the vehicle is equipped with…

19V005000Air Bags:Frontal:Passenger Side:Inflator ModuleReported 09/01/2019

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever… Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 145 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
Z3G_Dealer_Lette2022-12-14StructureDL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original…
ZKG_Dealer_Lette2022-12-14StructureDL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original…
Z2G_Dealer_Lette2022-12-14StructureDL: Toyota has received reports of paint peeling on certain vehicles with the original…
Takata CSP Cover2022-07-28Air BagsCSP: Takata CSP Coverage Job Aid - published 7.28.2022
22TE04 - Takata2022-07-28Air BagsCSP: On July 30, 2018, a settlement of claims for Economic Loss related to Takata airbag…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific xB. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2012 xB take?

4.5 qt of 5W-20 OR 0W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2012 xB have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the xB get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 27 highway / 24 combined mpg.